It's A Long Way Home
by UniqueInsanity
Summary: Another little post-ep for the finale. Grissom and Sara still have a lot to discuss before they can make this relationship work.
1. Chapter 1

**It's A Long Way Home**

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own any of the characters, I just like to write stuff with them.

 **Summary:** Another post-ep for the finale. Still a few questions that I think need to be answered before Grissom and Sara can get on to their happily ever after.

 **Rating:** K+

 **Genre:** Angst, hurt/comfort, romance!

 _ **xxx**_

When Grissom left the lab to return to San Diego, he didn't think he'd ever be back in Vegas. In fact, his plan was to get as far away from it as possible.

He still couldn't quite believe that less than twenty-four hours later, he was returning to Vegas, hand in hand with Sara.

As much as everyone loved a good fairy tale ending, that wasn't how real life worked. Eventually, the spell had to break. They still had so much to talk about, so much to organise. At least, though, they were both on the same page this time. Their relationship was now the most important thing. It wasn't going to take a back seat to careers, or anything else. They had to be each other's number one focus. They had to communicate.

That had been their biggest downfall, and it always had been. From the moment they met each other, and still, over fifteen years later, they were trying to work out their lines of communication.

He had always known that Sara was the only person he could ever love. From the moment he met her, that was obvious to him. It terrified him. He never imagined himself meeting someone and falling in love. That wasn't what he had planned for in his life. He planned to work and be the best investigator he could be and give victims the justice they deserved.

Then Sara came along and everything changed. He suddenly felt like his purpose had shifted. He knew he would be consumed by her if he allowed himself, and so he pushed her away. He built up walls and shut her down; again and again.

Everything was different now. He now knew what it was like to love her and be loved in return. He had a taste of how good life with Sara Sidle was. He let it slip out of his reach once, but he wouldn't let it happen again.

He paid for the cab when it pulled up outside their home and followed Sara up to the front door. Not much had changed since he had last been here, almost three years ago. The one thing he noticed was the security cameras that had been added to the house. One was looking right down onto the porch at the front door, and he spotted another aimed down the driveway.

The alarm was disabled by scanning her fingerprint. It was definitely an upgrade from the last one they had.

"I see there have been a few changes to the security. Trying to keep me out?" He said with a small laugh, as she busied herself switching on the lights.

"Well, not you, but someone," She said softly. After everything that had happened with Basderic, the whole house got a complete security update.

She knew when he raised his eyebrow that he was questioning what exactly she meant. "I'll tell you about it later," She promised. "Right now, I need to take a shower."

Grissom watched her carefully as she moved through the house, so at ease. He felt a little unsure, should he follow her, or was that too much too soon?

He wandered through the living room, noticing the little differences since he had been here last. The one thing that stood out to him was the framed photos of them together that had been dotted throughout the room were no longer there.

"Are you planning on joining me at all, or are you just going to stand there?" Her voice snapped him out of his thoughts, eyes drifting up to look at her.

His mouth went dry, and he clenched his fists. He noticed her little smirk as she watched his reaction and that only made it worse. She stood before him, with her favourite silk robe on her, one he had gotten for her as a birthday present. If someone asked him to define beauty, this would be what he would describe.

"God, I've missed you, Sara." His voice was huskier than before, eyes dark as he drank in the sight of those long, long legs.

She raised an eyebrow, lips pursed in amusement. "Well, why don't you prove it, then?"

 _ **xxx**_

Hours later sated and happy, Sara lay with her head on Grissom's chest. His hand was resting on the small of her back, underneath the loose t-shirt she was wearing.

He had changed too, into his favourite Harvard t-shirt, and a pair of comfortable sweats. The fact that Sara had kept all of his clothes and belongings spoke volumes about how she had felt about him even after the divorce. Too painful to keep in direct proximity, she moved everything into the guest bedroom, which she never touched.

Sara shifted, pulling herself up into a sitting position, leaning against the headboard so she could look at him.

He couldn't take his eyes off of her, afraid that if he looked away for too long, she might somehow disappear. This was almost too good to be true.

"Penny for your thoughts?" He asked her, watching how the gears seemed to grind in her mind.

There is so much that they needed to talk about, to sort out before they could work on this new life together. She didn't know where to start. "I don't even know where to begin, Gil."

He was willing to sit here and talk for as long as was needed, to make sure things worked out. He moved his hand to rest on her knee, gently caressing her skin with his thumb. "Why don't we start with the need for the security upgrade?"

She had a feeling this would be one of the first topics up for discussion. He had been a CSI a lot longer than she had, and he was a much better one. He knew when there was a story to be told.

"It's a long story," She warned.

"I've got all the time in the world, Sara," He assured her, giving her knee a gentle squeeze. This was it, this was the beginning of getting things right again.

So, Sara told him everything. She told him all about Ronald Basderic. How he had been stalking Edie, and how she tried everything she could to help Edie get a restraining order against him. It didn't surprise him that she would get that invested, she always went above and beyond to try and victims in any way she could.

He could tell she still felt guilty over Edie's death. Maybe if she had gotten her that restraining order, she would have left the diner that night. She wouldn't have stayed just because she was afraid of Ronald.

She continued her story, how after the divorce she reverted to some of her old ways. Her drinking became an issue again, and that's when she met Taylor Wynard. She could see the hurt in his eyes as she told him about Taylor. He knew he didn't have a reason to be jealous, he had just ended their marriage, and he knew exactly what had led her to that point.

She could feel her eyes burn as she told him about the night of her birthday. How she sat and waited, hoping and praying that he would show up. But he didn't. Taylor did. She told him about going to his hotel room, drinking more, talking, then getting his text, and she left. She went back to her room, took some sleeping pills and went to bed.

She didn't miss the look of concern when her reckless behaviour of drinking and taking sleeping pills registered with him. "I'm over that now, back on the horse," She assured him.

She hadn't talked about what happened with anyone, really. Once it was over, she locked it all up and tried to forget about it. She had done a good job of it, for a while.

Grissom listened intently to her words, sure that he would never forget them. Ronald Basderic had stalked her, framed her for murder, and ultimately, set it up so he could get away with killing her.

Silence fell over them as she let him process everything she had just said. It was a lot to take in, and probably the last thing he had expected her to say.

He could feel his anger bubbling; his pulse was definitely at one hundred. If he had been there with her, that would have never happened. He couldn't believe everything she had been through. While struggling with the divorce that he had put her through, she also had to deal with that. No wonder she had gone a little overboard on the security.

"I just couldn't settle here, for a long time afterwards. I couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. He had been in my home, read my emails, changed my pills. I would stay awake for hours, torturing myself with all the other things he could have done."

"I just can't believe I didn't know any of this," Grissom said after a few moments.

"We were divorced, Gil. You asked for a divorce. I'm not blaming you, but then, I didn't feel like you would want to know what was going on. That your life was much easier without me there to complicate it and add drama." She had wanted nothing more than to call him and tell him everything. She had almost broken on more than one occasion. She knew deep down that if she had told him, he would have come back to Vegas for her. But would it have been for the wrong reasons?

"You have to know Sara, I never stopped loving you. Not once. I would have been on the first flight out."

"That's easy to see now, but at the time, there was so much going on, I couldn't think straight. It was easier to deal with what Ronald had done, and not try and think about you. I could handle one at a time, but trying to deal with both… I would have spiralled." Her hand had found his, entwining their fingers, seeking comfort.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that on your own." What he wouldn't give to go back, and to change what had happened.

She gave a soft laugh, which surprised him. "Oh, I definitely wasn't alone, not after that." The bewildered look on his face caused her to laugh even more before she continued to explain. "Do you really think Nick or Greg let me out of their sight? Even Brass was more protective than usual. I must have had at least one of them over for dinner every night for the best part of two months after that."

That was exactly the reason why Grissom could never have asked her to leave Vegas to come back to him then. This was where her family was, and he had never been so thankful to the men in her life. They were always there for her, even when he couldn't be.

"It was a long time ago now, Gil. Over two and a half years ago. I've got through it."

"If there's one thing I never doubt about you, it's your ability to survive, Sara. You're far too stubborn to let something get the better of you." He teased, relaxing when she rewarded him with a smile.

He pressed his lips to her forehead in a soft kiss. Such a simple gesture did wonders to soothe the tension in her body, as she relaxed against him.

She felt better already, having talked about that. This was definitely a step in the right direction for them.

"Okay, what's next on our agenda?" Grissom asked, excited that they seemed to be making progress.

He should have anticipated her words. He knew it wasn't a subject that could be avoided. His heart seemed to slow a little as panic set in, afraid that if he couldn't explain himself articulately, he could just make this situation so much worse.

She didn't hesitate, and despite everything over the last twenty-four hours, the uncertainty still showed in her voice.

"Why were you still in contact with Lady Heather?"


	2. Chapter 2

**It's A Long Way Home: Chapter 2**

"Why were you still in contact with Lady Heather?"

Grissom's mouth felt like it had filled with sand. He was always the man with the answers. That's what he spent his life doing, giving people answers. How was someone killed, what had been used to kill them, when did they die, where were they killed, who killed them? He could answer those questions. He liked answering those questions.

When it came to Sara though, all his logical reasoning seemed to disappear. He had never been able to answer her questions. He was terrified of not giving the right answer, or not explaining himself correctly. If he said the wrong thing, he always feared that would be the last straw for her. He was never good at expressing emotions, and he had never had much reason to do so until he met Sara. He was still learning.

When he left for San Diego again, he never thought he'd see Sara again. He knew it was ironic, he was living out the life that she had wanted them to live together. He should have taken that opportunity when he had it. To hell with the lab, that wasn't what was important. She was. He had made the wrong decision again, and he lost her.

He wanted to ask her to come with him, to give that life they once talked about a chance. But how could he do that? She had just gotten the promotion she so deserved. His heart still swelled with pride at that thought. She deserved it more than anyone, and that wasn't just because he was in love with her. He couldn't ask her to give that up for him, and to leave the team again. It was better this way. She would stay in Vegas, finally getting the recognition she deserved for all her hard work. She'd have the team, her own little family there to support her. He had no doubt she would find someone else. You'd have to be crazy to not fall in love with her. You'd have to be even crazier to let her go.

Despite knowing this, he knew this was what was best for her. That was all he ever cared about, her happiness. He would continue to work at sea for, content in knowing that even though he missed her, and would for the rest of his life, she would be better off in Vegas.

Now he was afraid of losing her all over again. When he turned and saw her on the pier, his whole world opened up. By some miracle, some divine intervention, she had given him another chance. He didn't want to do anything to make her regret that decision.

"Sara, I-" He began, but trailed off, not sure where to start. He bit his lower lip, and his eyes found hers. So much of their relationship had been these meaningful looks. Maybe it was because they were so used to reading a story from evidence, they could read each other without needing to say anything. He wished this was one of those situations. He wished he could explain everything with a look, so she knew in that way she always did. When words were involved, things got messy.

"The truth, Gil. That's all I want. I'm a grown woman, I can handle it." She was trying hard to convince herself of that fact, so she wasn't sure if she was convincing him. Could she handle it? Would she have been better off living in oblivious bliss, content in not knowing? No, that wasn't how she worked. She always needed the whole picture.

Grissom had always taught them that the 'why' was never important. That wasn't the business they were in. Who, what, where and when? Those were the only questions they had to worry about. It didn't matter why someone had done something, just that they had done it.

Sara was never happy with that. She needed to know why. She had to be able to make sense of things, it was the only reason she had been able to keep working as a CSI. She needed to know that people didn't just go outside and commit a crime; she wanted to know the motive. It made it easier to process, sometimes.

His thumb had been stroking the inside of her knee, but his hand had stilled, resting flat on her skin. He could feel how tense her body was, and he knew there was no getting out of this. The only way to move forward was to get everything out in the open. When she got on that boat he had vowed he would do whatever it took to make her happy and to make it work this time. He wasn't going to fall at the first hurdle.

"A few months before the… Before things went bad," He still couldn't bring himself to say the word divorce. "Heather contacted me, out of the blue. I hadn't spoken to her since before I left the lab. I spent a while talking to her then, sort of catching up on her life, and I was telling her about the research grants we were waiting on."

This was almost three years ago, but she still couldn't stop herself from feeling bitter. He couldn't pick up the phone to respond to her phone calls, but he had spent a long time on the phone to Heather, just talking.

"I think she was lonely, and she was just reaching out for a friend." He didn't miss the little scoff Sara gave, as much as she tried to hide it. "By all accounts, she had nothing going on in her life other than work and occasional visits from her granddaughter. I was just doing what I could, to help a friend out of a situation I knew a lot about." He couldn't help but think back to the time when Sara had sent him that video message. She had helped him see the mistake he was making, and that allowed him to make the best choice he had ever made. He just wanted to try and help her too.

"After that, she would send me an email every couple of weeks, and when I got a chance, I would respond." He was struggling to read her expression, he didn't know how she was feeling, or if what he was saying was making their situation better or worse.

"She knew about the divorce," Sara said simply. That was what had gotten to her more than anything. She knew it, and she used it against her as a weapon in the interrogation.

Grissom sighed softly and nodded. "When I left the lab to go to Costa Rica, I left the team behind. We all know how bad I am at keeping in contact with people. Maybe it would have been different if I had stayed in Paris with constant internet connection and steady cell service. After the… After it happened, I thought constantly about ringing Brass, or Nick, or Greg. I just wanted them to make sure you were okay because I knew I couldn't. That was all that I cared about."

"Did you?" She asked, in genuine curiosity. Surely they would have told her if Grissom had contacted them?

"In the end, I didn't. I didn't think they'd even answer the phone if they saw it was me, and if they had, I'm sure it would have just been to yell at me."

This brought a smile to Sara's lips, and she gave a short laugh. "Yeah well, maybe you deserved that."

"Oh, I don't doubt it." His smile mirrored hers, but only for a moment. "Being completely honest, Sara, I didn't want to take them from you. I wanted them to stay angry at me, so they would support you. And, if I have to admit it, I was afraid. I knew they would be disappointed with me. I knew they would be angry, and probably even hate me a little bit. I still expect them to feel that way, but that's okay. I just didn't want to have to face it. It was easier to just lock you all away, and not think about it."

"When Heather talked to me about her granddaughter, I had no intention of mentioning what happened. She's perceptive, though. She knew without me saying anything. She said that by not mentioning you at all, it was how she knew, because every conversation we've ever had, I have always talked about you."

She didn't know how to feel about this, imagining Grissom and Heather discussing her over their afternoon tea. It made her feel uncomfortable, but she understood what he was trying to say to her.

"You said you were only talking to her a few days ago?" Sara pressed on. Her mind was in overdrive, trying to process everything he was saying and understand what he meant and how she felt in response to it.

Grissom nodded in confirmation. "That was just a coincidence in timing, but I realise now how it sounded. I didn't mean for it to come out that way and hurt you. Heather had sent me an email telling me about Alison's death, I was out at sea and never saw it until a few days ago. I phoned her to see how she was doing and offer my condolences. I was just trying to help a friend who was having a hard time."

Sara was silent for a moment, processing still. He could see the gears turning in her head, grinding again and again. That sick feeling at the pit of his stomach hadn't disappeared yet. With every second that passed in silence, it only got worse.

He gave her knee a soft squeeze, and her dark eyes met his. "Sara, I need you to understand, she has only ever been a friend to me. I know I have given you enough reason to doubt that over the years, and I'm sorry." He took a breath. "I'm sorry."

His heart sank as he watched her eyes fill with tears. He had done it this time. His words had gotten him into this mess, and had hurt her.

"Thank you, Gil," She said softly, battling with the tears, determined to not cry.

"W-What? Why are you thanking me?" This was not the response he had expected from her. In fact, he half expected to be packing up and heading back to his boat, alone.

"Thank you for talking to me. But mainly, thank you for being honest with me, and for apologising." Grissom never seemed to be able to understand the consequences his actions had on her. He didn't seem to get that sometimes the things he did hurt her. But now, he had shown her he understood why she felt the way she did. He knew what he had done hurt her, and he apologised. That was not something he had done before.

"Now, it's my turn to apologise," Sara continued, leaving Grissom speechless once more. "I know I acted irrationally during the case. It was just so overwhelming seeing you again. It brought back so much of what I had locked away for two years, and not dealt with. And I know Ecklie called you, but I couldn't help but feel like she was the reason you had come back. I know you didn't know anything about Ronal. But, the only thing I could think of was would you have come back for me the way you did for her?"

"I'm not one to get jealous of the 'other woman', but Heather has always had a way of getting under my skin. I guess, I just felt like I was the other woman, compared to Heather. I listened to all the rumours for so long. There was this beautiful, intelligent and independent dominatrix who had won your heart. This was at a time when you wouldn't even be in a room alone with me. I always felt inadequate compared to her. She was a perfect match for you, and it terrified me that you might realise that, and I'd be made a fool again."

Grissom opened his mouth to speak, to reassure her doubt, but she just kept going, needing to get this off of her chest. "I know we've talked about her before, and I know I just sound like a petty, jealous woman who can't let go. But… She brings out the worst in me, and I let your history with her cloud my judgement on the case. So, I just wanted to say that I'm sorry."

To say he was stunned was an understatement. Yes, they had spoken of Heather before, but he never knew exactly how she made Sara feel, and now that he did, he understood everything he had put her through.

He had been terrible to her for years, pushing her away and then pulling her close. Just as she'd get her life going in a different direction, he'd reel her back in with a look, a touch, or a carefully aimed comment. He couldn't have her in his life, but he didn't want her out of it, so he played on those emotions while he tried to figure out his own.

He knew the rumours that went around the lab, the first and second time he met Heather. Knowing now just how Sara felt, he couldn't imagine being in her position, and the pain that must have caused her.

Then, after she was attacked, Sara and he had been in a relationship for almost two years at that stage. He went to Heather again and ended up spending the night talking to her until the sun came up. He never thought to tell Sara where he was, and he hadn't considered how it might make her feel. The funny thing was that the majority of that night was spent talking about Sara. Heather didn't want to talk about herself, so she did what she did so well. She read him. She knew something had changed, and she knew who had caused that change.

For such an intelligent man, he could be dense sometimes. This was an excellent example of that fact.

"I know you saw what I said to Heather in that video. I know I told you about what almost happened between Heather and I. There was a chance for us to take things further, and it almost happened. Do you remember the case with Lorenzo Morales, at the Sugar Cane Ranch? Do you remember the conversation we had there?"

Sara nodded, knowing exactly what he was talking about. That wasn't a conversation she was ever likely to forget. "You said sex without love is pointless, it makes you sad. But, I make you happy."

He couldn't help but smile at that. He had teased her years ago about recording everything he said. She really didn't forget anything.

"There's a reason I know that, Sara. Ever since I met you, I have loved you. Even though I couldn't admit it, I knew it. Nothing happened with Heather, because we both knew I loved you, even if I couldn't say it. Heather has only ever been, and only ever will be a friend. But, she showed me that nobody could replace you. You are the only one for me, Sara. You could never be inadequate. Everyone else is because nobody else even comes close to matching you. And nobody ever will."

She found herself fighting tears once more. She cried watching the tape Lindsey had given her. Now that he was here, saying all these things to her, it was almost too much to handle.

"Please tell me I haven't just ruined whatever chance I had of making this work?" He sounded desperate as if her answer was more important than oxygen.

Her hand covered his and she smiled, shaking her head. "No, no you haven't. Quite the opposite, really."

Instantly, his lips were on hers, doing a better job at conveying just how he felt about that. He tried to pour all his emotion into that kiss, wanting to make sure she knew exactly how he felt.

She broke the kiss after a few moments, "Don't think this is all okay, though, we still have a lot to talk about."

"Yes, dear," He mumbled against her lips, trying to make up for all the kisses they had missed out on in the last few years.

At this moment, both of them felt happier than they could remember being in the last number of years. Yes, they had a long way to go, but right now they had dealt with some of their biggest worries. With lighter hearts were ready to deal with everything else they had to discuss.

They had hope.

 _ **xxx**_

 **A/N:** I am so nervous posting this chapter. It's such a tense subject, and there's so much in the background of it all, I just have no idea if I did it justice, but I tried. I would really love to know what you thought of it, if you agree or disagree with me on some of the thoughts. And thank you so much to everyone who reviewed on the first chapter and asked for more. It was amazing to get such a lovely response. I hope you still feel the same about this one, but let me know either way!


	3. Chapter 3

**It's a Long Way Home: Chapter 3**

 _ **xxx**_

They both knew that the only way they were going to make sure that this worked was if they talked. They had tackled the two most daunting topics and genuinely felt better about the direction they were headed. They were intelligent people, they knew they had so much more to discuss and a long way to go still, but they were making progress.

Communication was never their strong point, but if the past two years had taught them anything it was that they were willing to do whatever it took to make sure they didn't make a mess of this again.

From the very beginning of their relationship, it had been a rollercoaster of ups and downs. They both were in agreement that the last two years had been the worst. Sara had spent the last few years convinced that Grissom didn't love her in return, and she knew she would never stop loving him, but she said nothing because she thought this was what he wanted. Grissom did the exact same thing.

Now they knew just how stupid they had been. If they had just talked about it, they would have understood exactly what the other felt, but neither of them had been willing to break the cycle they had gotten into.

After making great progress in such a short space of time, they decided to take a break from the talking, and just enjoy being with each other again. They had a lot of lost time to make up for.

After sleeping for a few hours, they shared another shower. Neither seemed willing to let the other out of their sight for longer than a few minutes.

Grissom was shocked that Sara still had all of his belongings here. He was sure she would have moved them to a storage unit somewhere. Instead, she had just boxed everything up in the room that he had claimed as his office and closed the door. She only went in there when she was looking for one of his books that could help with a case.

It had taken Sara a long time to come to terms with the fact that they were divorced, and it wasn't changing. She had considered putting all of his stuff into storage, but she dismissed that quickly. He had so many books and collections that were so valuable and precious to him. She didn't want them getting damaged in storage. She toyed with the idea of getting in contact with Betty and sending all of the stuff out to her, but she dismissed that thought even quicker. The thought of talking to Betty and having to answer questions about what had happened made her feel sick.

It was easier for her to just lock everything away in his office and forget about it. If you were to look through the house, but not the office, the only hint of Grissom you would find was a framed photo she had kept of them in their room. It was one of the rare days they had off together when they had first started dating. They had taken Hank to the park, and Sara took her camera and managed to get a great picture of the three of them. She hadn't been willing to let go of every reminder of the only family she had. On the bad days, it was nice to have it there to remind her of happier times.

That picture sat on her bedside table, beside another photo of her, Nick, Greg and Warrick taken around the same time as the photo of her, Grissom and Hank.

Grissom eyed them both carefully as he dressed in the clothes he had taken from the office. He could hear Sara humming to herself in the kitchen as she busied herself making breakfast. He felt he was transported back to a different time in his life, years before the divorce. He had to keep reminding himself that this was the here and now, there was no room for error this time.

They were scientists; surely they had done enough experimentation over the years to know what worked for them and what didn't. The trial was over now was the time for the real deal.

He padded softly towards the kitchen, stopping just inside the door as he watched her cook. He couldn't stop the grin forming on his lips, thinking about what a disaster she used to be when it came to cooking. It had just given him an excuse to spend a lot of time with her in the kitchen teaching her to cook.

Her beauty never ceased to amaze him. She was so effortlessly beautiful. Here she was, wearing a pair of jeans, a dark tank top and her slightly damp hair was beginning to curl. She was still the most beautiful woman he had ever set his eyes on.

"You know, instead of standing there staring at me, you could make yourself useful and set the table for me?" Sara said, without even turning her head to look at him.

He chuckled to himself as he stepped away from the door frame, going towards the cupboards retrieving glasses and cutlery. It wasn't easy to try and sneak up on a CSI; their senses were extraordinary, trained to note every little detail.

He worked in silence, happy to just listen to her hum away to herself as she continued with breakfast. He set the table, got some juice from the fridge, and came back to help her dish up, carrying both of their plates over to the table for them.

They ate breakfast with easy conversation, catching each other up on different things that they had missed out on over the last few years. It was amazing how easily they had fallen back into this routine already.

Once they had finished eating, feeling much more energised, Sara decided now was the best time to keep going with what they came back here to do.

"Where do we go from here, Gil?" She was almost afraid to ask this question as if getting into this conversation could possibly change everything. They came back here to decide if they still had a future together, and if they did, how they were going to make it work. What if at the end of it all, they still didn't have the answers?

He didn't even hesitate in his response. "Wherever you want to go. I mean it. If you want to stay in Vegas, that's great, we'll do that. If you want to come out to sea with me, we can do that. If you want to go somewhere new and start over again, I'm ready." His hand found hers and he entwined their fingers. "Sara, I'm willing to do whatever it takes to make sure this works. I know what I need in my life now, and I'm not stopping myself from having that anymore."

"My work had always been so important to me, and when I met you, you changed everything. That was why I was so afraid of letting myself admit my feelings for you. I knew you could change everything in my life, but I didn't know if I was ready for that." He gave her hand a soft squeeze. "I'm ready to embrace that change, wherever we go, as long as I have you I'll be happy."

"We've said all of this before, Gil. When you came to me in Costa Rica, I feel like we had this exact same conversation. We started over there, we got married, and then things fell apart. I can't go through all of that again." For most of her life, Sara had built up walls around herself. It was the only way that she could protect herself. She had let them down with Grissom and let him in, and then after the divorce they had gone straight back up. She reverted back to her old ways of locking everyone out. Right now, she was letting him in again. She was vulnerable, but he needed to see exactly how she felt.

"I don't know what the future holds, Sara, neither of us does. I know I've said this to you before, but this time everything is different. I can't go back to a life without you, and I'm willing to do whatever it takes to make that happen." He knew there was nothing he could do right now to prove that to her. "I know I've broken your trust more than once, and I know I definitely don't deserve all the chances you have given me. The only way I can show you that I'm serious is with time, Sara. But I promise I will prove it to you."

Follow the evidence.

The evidence never lies.

Those lines swirled around in her mind, repeating them again and again. The evidence was that every time they had tried a relationship, it didn't work. It didn't work in San Francisco. When she came to Vegas, he turned her down for five years. When they finally started dating, that came to an end when she left. When he came to Costa Rica, things got better, they got married and life was good. But, she left again, and he never followed, and they divorced. The evidence was clear. All of their past attempts had just been horrible failures.

On the other hand, though. She followed him to Vegas. She didn't give up even during those five years of hell. He followed her to Costa Rica. He came back to Vegas. Then, she went after him. Maybe the evidence was showing her that they didn't give up, that no matter what bad things happened; they couldn't give up on each other. There was no easy answer to their problem.

" _To be with the person who really gets you, loves you for exactly who you are. Believe me, it's worth the risk."_

Those were her words to Morgan only a few months ago, back to haunt her now. Grissom was that person, the person who got her, who loved her exactly how she was. She knew that there would never be anyone else for her.

Finn had tried more than once, to get her back into the dating scene, but Sara had only ever laughed it off. That was the last thing she would ever do. It was impossible to try and make herself un-love Grissom. She had tried, more than once when she had first come to Vegas. Maybe it had never worked out because she wasn't ever supposed to stop loving him.

"Okay then, I trust you." And she did. Something about him was different this time, and she couldn't quite put her finger on what exactly that difference was.

"I know we have a lot to work on, but I have no doubt that two intelligent people such as ourselves can figure it out." Grissom said with a smile, trying to lighten the situation.

Sara laughed more than she should have at that comment. "Do you know how many times I've thought that to myself? Except, it was the fact that for two extremely smart scientists, we're really clueless about so many things."

He laughed at this too, nodding in agreement. "Well, I've said before that I don't mind being wrong because it inevitably leads me to be right. I know I'm right about this. I'm done with being wrong when it comes to us."

Sara took a moment to just look at him. She saw nothing but sincerity in his eyes. He truly meant everything he was saying. She felt something that she hadn't felt in a long time; optimism. To her, her future contained nothing other than work. She would continue to live alone in the house they had bought, with only work and her friends to fill up her life. She had accepted that life. For a lot of her teenage, and young adult years, that was how she assumed she would live anyway. This was her chance to give herself the life she had always secretly dreamed of.

"What do we need to work on? What do I need to do to make sure this works?" Grissom asked her, still holding her hand in his, unwilling to let go of it.

Sara gave a little sign, running her free hand through her mostly dry hair. "Can I point out the obvious? This time, let's not live in different countries. It would be nice to be in the same time zone again for a change."

Grissom smiled and nodded. "I meant what I said earlier, wherever you want to go, I'll be with you. I'm not letting you get away from me again."

She couldn't help but smile at his words. She would admit, it was a little strange hearing all of this coming from Grissom, the man known for being so inept at conversation. He really was going all out to show her that he wasn't giving up on this.

"The last day has been great. We've talked about so much that we've neglected for so long. It needs to stay like that. We can't bottle things up anymore, or assume we know what the other is thinking without asking them. And, you have to stop telling me how you feel through other people, okay? Start telling me."

He knew she was talking about his conversation with Heather, but also Dr. Lurie all those years ago. "It's still something I have to work on, but I'm going to keep working on it every day until I get it right. I want you to do the same for me, I want you to tell me if you're not happy, or anything you're worried about."

"It's a deal." She agreed, smiling.

"So, anything else?"

"Only one." He raised his eyebrow, curious. "I want our dog back."

 _ **xxx**_

 **A/N:** Another chapter up! Not sure how I feel about this one, but my good friend Charlotte made me feel better so I thought I better post it. At the moment, I'm planning one more chapter and an epilogue, but that could change. If there are any questions/situations you think Grissom and Sara still need to discuss, let me know, and I'll write them. I'm really enjoying writing this fic. Another question, what do you prefer the idea of, Sara and Grissom staying in Vegas with Sara as lab director, or both of them off travelling the world? Let me know! And let me know what you thought of the chapter. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed so far, you all make writing so much easier!


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